Leo's Jungle Adventures
by SafirDrage
Summary: A take on what Leo went through during his journey to Central America. 2k7 movie. First fanfic ever. Rated T for blood. It's better than it sounds, I just don't know how to summary :/. I don't own TMNT.
1. A good day

Takes place before the TMNT movie

I don't own the turtles

* * *

It had been just over a week since Leo had arrived in Central America. Living alone in the jungle was difficult, and by this time he had only begun the mastery of manoeuvring in the dense bush. Since arriving, the young turtle had spent most of his time mapping out as much area as possible in hopes to learn the lay of the land. It was difficult - even now. The trees all looked the same, and despite his efforts to mark them with his katanas, the natural lines in the trees made the slits looks natural, thus hard to notice. He had discovered five small villages with populations ranging anywhere from ten to a hundred people. At the back of his mind Leo knew that there would be less people than what he was used to, but the small total was nonetheless shocking. And the way they lived - even the richest individuals he had seen were worse off than some of the homeless of New York. Obesity here was hard to find, as everyone (especially the children) was on the verge of starvation. Although he didn't yet fully understand it, there was a group of militia men that would sack the villages, taking their food, money and whatever valuables could be found. Leo noticed by the third day since his arrival of their treachery. He was running some drills when he heard gun shots in the distance. Upon further inspection from the tree line, the ninja discovered what those evil filth were doing. From that point Leonardo vowed to protect the innocent lives of the villagers, no matter what it took.

Leo awoke from his restless sleep. Sunlight was peeking through the cracks of vines that covered the entrance to his cave. He lay on the stone floor for a moment, pondering life. Now - more than ever - he missed his family. Up until this point, the time spent away from the others had been like a relaxing retreat, no noise or complaints, and he had no one to look out for but himself. But that night, when he could drift away from the constant noise of the forest, he had dreamt about them; his family. It wasn't a nightmare, but it held no happy feelings either, only sorrow and longing. As he looked to the ceiling of the cave his mind drifted to those he held dearest. He began to question what they would be doing at that moment, but knew that they would be going to bed after a long night of doing whatever it is they do when he's not around. _I wonder if their thinking about me, _he asked himself. He pushed the thought aside and stood up. His muscles ached as he stretched himself out. He was getting used to the hard, rock floor, but still missed the comfort of his futon that awaited him at home. Walking towards the mouth of the cave, Leo grabbed some small roots that he had set on a rock. He got into the sunlight and looked down at the white vegetation that sat in his hand.

"Well, it's not pizza" he said with a sigh, and began nibbling on them.

Food here was hard to come by, but upon spying on some villagers foraging through the forest, the turtle learned to keep his eyes open for edibles. These roots were tough and bitter, but obviously held some nutritious values; seeing as how he wasn't dead yet, so he would continue to munch on.

Water was easier to find. Though he learned within his first couple of days that getting it from little ponds was a recipe for disaster. That night when he had filled up his canteen had been one of, if not _the, _worst night of his life. His body was racked with pain mercilessly. He had a fever and cold sweat, which poured from his body, expelling the liquid that he so desperately needed. And to top it all off, he experienced horrible diarrhea and nausea. That night; Leonardo Splinterson thought he was going to die. When the sun came up the next day, he was tired. Almost enough that he would drag his body to one of the villages and plead for help. Instead he continued to watch them: learning. After what felt like days of stalking, with no food and water in his system, Leo finally found the source of their water. Underground caverns which littered the forest floor, held fresh water that the humans would quench their thirst with. These cenotes brought Leonardo new life, and he made sure to pay special attention in memorizing their locations.

Already the sun was hot. It was a feeling that still felt new to him. He contemplated moving around solely at night, like back in the city, but even with the light it was hard to navigate through the trees. Looking around, Leo took in the view. It was beautiful. Everything was lush and green. The air was clean and clear. The light reflected off of the dew that rested upon the foliage, which made the forest shine. Strangely, the noise of the insects and other animals was lessened during the day, though birds and monkeys could still be heard calling throughout the jungle. Leo smirked to himself and thought, _today will be a good day_.

Like every morning, the young ninja would start off with a rigorous exercise; running on the ground, jumping through the trees, swimming in the water, and (for his amusement more than everything), swing on the vines that hung from the canopy. He stopped at the closest cenote and took a drink. Already he noticed a difference in his body. Not only could he admire himself in the reflection of the water, but he could feel it. His muscles were still there, not much had changed them, but he was leaner. His arms rippled with movement as he flexed them. Despite his poor diet - he felt good.

Kneeling again next to the water, he took off his mask. It was getting hotter by the minute, and the cool of night was far off. He had sweat to the point that there was no color change when he wet the blue fabric in the pool. As he re-tied it around his head, Leo let out a content sigh. The cool water felt good. The temptation to dive in was almost unbearable, but he knew that this cenote was sacred to the people whom he shadowed, and refrained.

He took one more gulp of the clear liquid and stood, wiping his mouth. It was time to make his rounds with the villages. The closest, and most Southern, was not far off. With a tired grunt, he began the short journey. The villages were arranged in a way that four made a crescent moon to the left of the biggest, Astilla, which had a simple church atop a hill.

The first town was one of the larger of the bunch, but was easily farthest from the Astilla. It was a rough place, and although the people were generally happy, there seemed to be a constant cloud hovering above them. Leo watched as he sat up in a tree, ready to move on a moment's notice. The people went about their days as normal. Not much conversation took place between the inhabitants, but anyone could see that they were a tight-knit community that would gladly sacrifice themselves for others that they care about.

After an hour of surveying, Leonardo continued on his way. His bush-whacking was coming along nicely, but he still insisted on using the dirt path that connected the villages when he could. Northward was the smallest of the villages. No more than ten people lived there. In contrast to the first stop on his tour, and the others in general, Leonardo found this one to be more upbeat and alive. There was a mother that lived there with four children. Leo could not help but wonder what happened to her husband, though assumed the militia had something to do with it. The thought of them gave him a bitter taste in his mouth - or it was the roots. Either or. The woman was not sad though, to the contrary, she seemed to be the happiest of them all. There was another couple with one baby boy and an elderly pair who's kids had probably grown and left the village. All of the citizens of that place had a smile on their faces, which in turn brought one to Leo's. With that, he moved on, to the North-East.

This village was somewhere in-between the last two. It was the fourth biggest, and the people were happy, but carried themselves with dignity. They had a couple farms and clearly more resources than any of the other towns. This gave them an air of wealth and pride. The village itself seemed fresher and more innovative than the others. Leo looked on in wonder as he watched the people talk in their foreign language. Here, more than anywhere else he wished he knew Spanish, but alas he could only guess as to what they were saying. The day drew on and Leo propelled himself forward again.

The turtle strayed off the path as he raced for the village in the North-East, as there was none that connected directly between the two villages. He pushed himself to his limits in this stretch; bounding off trees and rolling on the ground, all-the-while trying to move as stealthily as possible.

Once he arrived at the outskirts of the town, Leo was exhausted and ready for a rest. He was panting heavily and felt dizzy in the heat of the sun. from what he could tell, it was probably 4 o'clock, so the warmth was just beginning to fade. This town was Leo's favourite. After Astilla, it was the most populated. The people there seemed nice, and cared deeply for each other. Crosses hung on all of the doors and a large one stood in the center of the town. While the smaller villages had a couple small crosses here and there, this one came closest to the religious standards of Astilla, that was only a short walk away. Leonardo enjoyed watching these people, had learned of their goings-ons and had even picked up on a few of their names. Pablo sparked his interest the most. The young boy, who bore the most stereotypical name there was, caught Leo's attention when he helped an elderly lady pick up some coco beans she had dropped. He was always smiling and ready to help others in need. He lived alone with his father in a small mud-hut. His father, Santiego, was the priest that headed the church in Astilla. Pablo looked up to his father and tried to follow his footsteps as best he could. Leo decided that it wasn't only to make his father proud, but because Pablo really was deeply religious and dreamt of becoming a priest to please his God. Today the small family was touring the town, picking up some food from the little market and enjoying each others' company. Watching them warmed Leo's heart and he couldn't help but think of Splinter. Without warning, his eyes began to water at the thought. He turned away as a tight pain in his chest flared. _Do I really miss them that much? _He wiped at his eyes and sniffed. Turning his back on the town, he tore he eyes from Pablo and Santiego, then took off running. One more stop: the big city.

Astilla was easily the biggest village, but still not comparable to any town in the US. The walls of the buildings were painted vibrant shades of colors, and it was clean and maintained. The small white church shone on top of a small hill in the center of the village. It was easily visible from the branch Leo was perched on. He looked on at the its people and smiled. They were calm, and like everywhere else, went on with their daily business. But the sun was now slowly disappearing. Leo's eye ridges crinkled in wonder, _how long was I at Pablo's village? _

No matter how long it had been, it was time to get 'home'. There had been no sign of trouble and even less of the militia. With a start, Leo bounded South, back to his cave. Once deep in the forest, the sunlight had all but vanished. It was cooler now, and Leo let off less perspiration. He was running on the forest floor, dodging roots and rocks that jutted up from the ground. He tripped a couple times, but could tell he was getting better at the forest runs. Maybe he was almost ready to do some night-time rounds. It was a great feeling. The fresh air on his skin, the leaves beneath his feet. Leonardo was in bliss. Every step more relieving than the last. But that feeling was soon put to a halt. He jumped off over a fallen log with his right foot, and landed on his left. When the sole of his foot touched down, Leo immediately felt regret, and his heart jumped in his throat. The ground beneath him caved in. In that split second he grabbed for anything he could, but the ferns he snatched only broke away from the earth. He was falling and there was nothing he could do.


	2. The pit

He let out a cry of pain as he slowed to a halt, but it wasn't the crushing pain he expected. His left leg and right arm burned in agony. His vision was hit with waves of red. His breath was caught in his lungs, as he stared up at the sky with wide eyes. After what seemed like forever, Leo's eyes tore away from the stars. He was in a hole. His body was in anguish. As he moved his head, another onslaught of pain hit his mind, threatening to knock him unconscious. He gathered enough strength and lifted his head over his plastron to look at his body. What he saw only brought about more pain. He had stumbled upon an old pit trap. His vision began to blur and his head pulsed with a heartbeat. The adrenaline that had been flowing throughout his body began to fade. This made the pain more intense. Leo let out another cry, releasing breath he didn't know he had been holding. His lungs rose and fell quickly, as he took court pants. He didn't know how long he had been laying there before he made an effort to move - which he immediately regretted. Another yell of pain tore from his throat. He couldn't seem to get air then, as he gasped for it. His body awkwardly twitched in hopes to cope with the hurt, but it did nothing to help.

Tears were starting to flow down his face in a constant stream as he looked up at the moon that now shone down on him through the trees. He felt so alone and so helpless. So afraid. This wasn't how he wanted to die; there was no honor lying there, suspended by sharpened sticks, as his blood trickled onto the floor beneath him. He felt panic again. Looking to the moon as if it could reach down and lift him out, he yelled;

"HELP! FATHER! SOMEONE, PLEASE!"

His voice rang through the forest, but no one was around to hear him.

Sobbing followed. Not of self-pity, but of pain, and the thought that he would never see his family again. Darkness began to take him. His head fell to the side as he stared blankly at the nothing in particular. Suddenly he felt familiar presences around him. He saw his family, surrounding where he lay.

"I'm sorry" he said. "Forgive me."

As those words left his lips, they brought a new feeling of determination. As much as he wanted to lay back and go to sleep, he knew he couldn't fail the ones he loved. He had to see them again. The ghostly images faded away as he became more awake. With a few pained grunts, he looked down again at his wounds. A stick, about 3cm in diameter, stuck out from the outside of his thigh. Blood covered it and most of his leg. To his right was another stick protruding from the muscle of his forearm. This one was slightly smaller, and had his arm fallen just an inch to the right, it would have completely missed it. Seeing all of the blood - his blood - made him feel ill. His head was now swimming and he dry heaved a couple times.

With a grunt, his left arm felt for the ground. Leo realised that it was actually resting on the ground already, and so was his shell.

A small wave of relief washed over him. At least he had some leverage to work with. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing, readying himself to move. With his eyes closed, he quickly pushed down on the ground with his free limbs. He let out a yelp and continued to pant laboriously. He cracked one eye open and looked down. Both of his legs were laying on the ground, the left bleeding profusely. At least he was now numb with pain. He hurt so much that it seemed normal and it wasn't really hurt at all. His snared arm had slid down the shaft a bit, but with a deep breath and hard gulp, the ninja grabbed it with his free hand. His vision again went black as he tugged his right arm up and off the wood. As the arm came free, he lay back in exhaustion, still breathing heavily.

How his body wanted him to stop and go to sleep. Blood was trickling down his arm. It was hot compared to the temperature of the air. In fact it was hot in comparison to Leo, whose body was shaking from both the cold and the lingering shock. Leo's left arm slid to his left and pushed on the hole in his skin, causing his eyes to jolt open and his body to tense.

"Gotta move..." he encouraged himself in a whisper. There was no way he was going to die in that hole. As the injured turtle got to his feet, he let out a distressed moan. Suddenly, as he stood, he became more awake and aware of his surroundings. The pit measured about six feet across at the most. There was a total of _three _sticks that still stood upright. He had managed to land on two. The others were either knocked over or rotting away.

Climbing out would be easy, if he had full use of all his limbs. There was plenty of vines that dangled into the pit. Leo only needed grab one and pull himself out. As he took a step towards his chosen vine, his knee gave way and he tumbled forward. Pain washed over him again, each wave racing with his heartbeat. Again he stood, and slowly made his way to the vine. The walls of the pit were spinning, and once more he felt sick. Using the side of the pit to steady himself, the young turtle leaned over and threw up what small amount of food remained in his stomach. After he had finished heaving, he spit out the bile that was left in his mouth.

Normally when he got sick; throwing up would help calm his stomach and body, but now it did neither. He reached out with his good hand to grab the large green rope, but noticed how violently he was shaking. His mind was working at a snail's pace. He couldn't process anything but the hurt he felt and the basic need he had to escape. A tear fell from his eye as he looked ahead at the daunting task, and felt the unforgiving weight of what awaited him should he fail.

The blood that now covered most of his body was a reminder of the urgency of the situation. With that, he grasped the vine as tightly as he could and reached up with his other hand. A good portion of the arm's muscle had been torn, and was noticeably weaker. Every movement upwards sapped what little energy Leo had left. Halfway up the ten-foot wall, the wounded limbs hung lifelessly, forcing those that did still work to burn in fatigue.

It would be so easy. To just let go and fall back into the darkness. But Leonardo was determined to make it to safety, so that he might see his family again. He could see them waiting for him at the top of the cliff. Tears were again streaming down his cheeks, from the pain and pressure his body was under.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, the mangled turtle swung his bad arm onto the ledge. With a burst of energy he didn't know he had, Leo tugged himself onto the forest floor so that his plastron was resting on the cool grass, and his legs dangled into the pit. His head lay on the ground as he panted heavily, and his hands squeezed the grass that kept him from falling back down to his death.

He had escaped.


	3. Goodbyes

After a while his breathing slowed, filling his lungs up and shakily releasing the used-up oxygen. Unless he moved, Leonardo found that the pain muffled itself, giving him a sort of relief. Black dots danced in front of his eyes, the creeping darkness becoming imminent. He began to let himself drift into the back of his mind. Memories of his life swept in front of him. His mind found its way to his brothers; more specifically; to the last time he saw them.

_Master Splinter had invited the eldest turtle into his room and told him of the task that the old rat had planned out. A year in the jungle would undoubtedly hone his senses. Excitement and fear clawed at Leo's heart when his father told him he would be gone for so long. It would be an adventure, but one that the rest of his family would not partake in. _

_Immediately Leonardo reported the news to the others. Mikey and Don were obviously hurt, though they tried to hide it. Raph didn't show any sign of emotion; he just glared back without a word. His lack of reaction hurt his older brother, but Leo hid his feelings as well._

_Time moved too quickly, and Leo wanted to spend every minute with his brothers. He would play video games with Mikey, Don was teaching him about the Aztecs and some of the culture the blue-clad turtle would encounter, and Raph insisted on sparring. Or arguing. Or both. _

_Three days later, it was time to leave. The boys all gathered in the living room to say goodbye. Casey and April were waiting topside to see Leo off to the airport. _

_Splinter had already said his farewells and gave his words of caution to his son, he felt it was important that the brothers got to say goodbye by themselves._

_Donnie stood as straight as he could, as if tied to a plank. His eyes were moist with tears._

_"Take care of 'em while I'm gone," Leo said, trying to mask the sadness in his voice, as he reached for his little brother and gave him a tight hug. _

_"Don't get malaria, k?" the genius replied, letting a tear slip. Leo put on a half-hearted smile and gave a little laugh._

_"I'll try"_

_He hadn't even thought about the diseases that awaited him down there, it was just one more thing to add to the list._

_Their arms drifted apart and Leo moved to Mikey. His baby brother already had tears streaming down his face. It broke Leo's heart. _

_Without warning, Mike shot forward and clung to Leo's middle, almost crushing him. _

_"Don't go!" he yelled, choking back sobs. The mood got even darker then. Leo awkwardly returned the hug, squeezing tightly, but gently, being as loving as he could to comfort the youngest. After a long while, Leo tugged on Mike's arms and hoisted him up so that their eyes met. Mikey's everything was trembling. His mask was soaked from the tears that continued to rain down his cheeks. Leo couldn't do it anymore, at the sight of his baby brother in such misery, his eyes teared up and he let out a choked sob. With that, the two embraced again, - this time like normal people - trying to comfort one another. _

_Finally Mikey loosened his grip, allowing Leo to pull away. _

_"Try to behave, ok?" Leo asked, again, feigning a smile. The younger turtle sniffed and nodded, then looked down at his feet. _

_Now it was just Raph that remained. He stood away from the others, with his arms crossed against his chest, a look of disgust on his face. _

_Leo took a second to wipe away the tears that had accumulated in his eyes. Once he felt they were dry, he continued over to his immediate younger brother. It hurt him to see the red-clad turtle look at him with such disdain. Leo could only hope that Raphael felt some sort of brotherly bond between them, but the look in his eyes spat otherwise. The leader in blue didn't care how his hot-headed sibling felt. He would miss his sarcasm and mindless quarreling as much as he would the others. He held out his arms in a welcoming gesture, but Raph just huffed. Leo instead reached one hand out and grabbed one of Raph's meaty shoulders and squeezed it._

_"Love ya bro" he said in a sad, hollow tone. That glare. It shot daggers into Leo's body and soul. _

_Leo walked over and picked up the small pouch of necessities he chose to bring with him. He stood and smiled at his brothers. It took all of his effort to not burst out in tears, and beg Splinter to reconsider. But he knew this would be a great learning experience. He knew that he would see his brothers again - or so he hoped. _

_Now unable to speak past the lump in his throat, the oldest of the four waved his hand goodbye. As he turned and walked out of the lair, his face contorted in pain and grief._

Kind of like it did now, but with less grief, and tenfold the pain.

The memory brought about new strength. Leo managed to pull himself up and was limping onward. The bleeding was slowing down, but he couldn't tell if it was clotting or running on empty.

Despite this, he paused to tie some bandages around the wounds. His mask covered the hole in his leg nicely, staunching the blood altogether. Using his teeth and uninjured arm, he undid his wrist bindings and retied them around his forearm. Tightening the strips stung horribly, but through gritted teeth the ninja was able to put up with the pain.

He had to keep moving.

Every step was more unbearable than the last. The constant nagging at the back of his mind was reminding him of the peace that a short nap would bring. Leo fought the urge to lay down and instead faced the pain.

Finally he was able to pick out a sign that he had carved into a tree. Had he not fallen to it for support, his blurred vision would surely have missed it. His heart sank as he gathered in his surroundings. With the bright moonlight he could tell; the cave was still far off.

He cursed under his breath, but kept on walking.

It didn't occur to the broken turtle that the cave would offer very little support. It had food and shelter, yes, but it could do no more to help. It was merely a light at the end of a dark tunnel, it promised nothing.

His strides were pathetic now. Right leg would move half a foot, then the other would drag behind. Doubt began to claw at Leonardo's mind again. It hurt so much. He would be crying now had he not been completely dehydrated.

Suddenly his mind began to focus on water and the craving that his body had for the life sustaining liquid. His mouth and throat were dry from panting so heavily. Water. Oh how he wanted a drink.

His subconscious took control of his legs and he changed course to find a nearby cenote. With his mind so concentrated on one thing, the pain blurred a bit, allowing for a slightly better pace.

Soon he found himself at the mouth of the cenote. It was probably only four feet down, but descending it would be the equivalent to climbing Everest.

Leo stopped and dropped to his knees. He was too tired to continue. Once more he looked up to the sky, which was now pink from the morning sun, and let out a shuddering breath. He thought of how careless and foolish he had been; about how this all could have been so easily avoided.

His body tipped forward, limp, as he fell down into the water. Then there was darkness.


	4. A little help

Leo was barely aware of the pair of hands that moved along his body, but the feeling had nonetheless made him stir. Voices. There were voices. Was he dead? Had he gone to turtle heaven? The throbbing pain that hit him proved otherwise. One eye opened into a slit. It was bright, but not to the degree that the jungle had to offer during the day. He was underground. He made out the roof of the cave that stood a hundred feet above him, it was brown and littered with stalactites.

He turned his head, only to find none other than Pablo starring back at him with curiosity. Santiego came into view and pulled his son back, afraid that the strange creature might lash out.

Leo's mind was groggy, and though he tried, he couldn't make out the situation. His eyes drifted from the frightened humans, to his right arm. The gaping hole that was there, last he checked, had been stitched up, which had stopped the bleeding. Upon further inspection Leo discovered that his limbs were all tied down with pieces of rope.

Fear tugged at him when he saw the bindings. He thought of Bishop and the time he had been cruelly tied down to that horrible operating table.

The turtle's eyes were wide and scared. Santiego couldn't understand how an animal could show such emotion. It let out panicked grunts as it tugged at the ropes. Pablo was shoved behind his father to be protected against the struggling beast.

"Parada!" he yelled. The turtle stopped and looked at him. Santiego was holding out a cane towards the animal, expecting it to jump up at any moment and attack him and his son.

Exhaustion hit Leonardo, and his body relaxed back onto the stones beneath him. His vision threatened to fade away, but Leo managed to keep his eyes open and take in as much of his surroundings as he could. Santiego pulled out a short knife and carefully walked towards the injured turtle. Leo's heart stopped, he didn't know what was going on, and his mind was in no shape to think critically. As the man got closer, Leo's muscles tensed. Santiego noticed this and pointed his palm outwards, in an attempt to show he meant no harm. Leo relaxed a bit, but was still rigid.

The priest reached just above Leo's head, who's eyes shut in fear.

When nothing happened, Leo carefully opened them. Santiego stood beside a foot away and held something green in his hand. _An avocado!_

At the sight of the familiar food, Leo's mind began to clear. He watched as Santiego cut open the fruit, and then scooped out some of the soft inside. He held out the knife, which had a generous amount of avocado on it, and kneeled down beside Leo.

Pablo laughed at the stupid, wide-eyed grin the turtle had unknowingly adopted. His father smiled, but concentrated on the possible danger that lay in front of him. The knife flicked in his hand, offering the food to the wild beast.

Leo instinctively nodded his head in response, not taking his eyes off of the green deliciousness. The man chuckled, amused, and reached the knife closer to Leo's mouth, careful not to poke him. Once it was close enough, Leo stretched his neck forward, and claimed the food that sat atop it.

He closed his eyes in delight and hummed. Normally he didn't care for avocado, but right now; it tasted like a five-star dish. As he swallowed, his mouth started to water, begging for more.

Again, Pablo let out a laugh at the turtle's reaction. Santiego glanced at his son, who was now almost as close to the creature as he was. Both of them seemed a little more at ease.

Leonardo was a turtle of manners, and immediately felt the need to give thanks. The sound he made however, was anything but a word, and quickly he regretted it. His throat burned as if he had swallowed razor blades. He clenched his teeth at the feeling, waiting for it to die down.

Both humans smiled at the raspy squeak that the animal had made. They thought that it was the noise it was born to use. Pablo giggled, to him it was quite cute - that such a large animal would make such a pitiful sound.

Santiego said something to his son, who promptly took off out of the cave skipping in delight.

The man continued to scoop out the goo from the avocado and feed it to Leo, who ate it graciously, though he didn't dare attempt to speak again. Already he could feel the food restore some of his strength.

Santiego watched in wonder as the creature ate. He had lived in this deep part of the world all his life, but never had he seen such a creature. Unmistakeably a turtle, but with the features of a man. And though he figured it could not speak, it showed signs of intelligence. And it's brown eyes were so human, he was simply amazed.

Soon the Avocado was nothing but a soft skin and pit.

Leo licked his lips - savouring the flavour. He looked up at his saviour, who went to wash off his knife in the water.

Once done, the man returned to the tied up being and looked it in the eyes.

Leo stared back, and again tried to speak, but nothing but a strangled squeak left his mouth.

Santiego smiled and bent down so that he was within whisper distance, then he spoke something in Spanish, which to Leo's dismay, meant nothing to him. He did catch one word: " espíritu", which was repeated several times.

The priest placed one hand on Leo's plastron, above his heart, and put his index finger to his lips and nodded. Leo felt he sort of understood what the man was trying to convey, so he nodded his head in return.

Pulling the knife forward again, Santiego cut the rope that restrained Leo's left hand. He gestured at the turtle to stay down, and backed up towards the entrance of the cave, where he took off, the same as his son had done. Leo understood their rash actions; in their eyes he _was _a wild animal.

He reached over and began untying his bonds. The pain was much less now, but any sudden movements from his injured arm or leg shot bolts of pain up his spine. Slowly he stood up and took in his surroundings. Immediately he noticed his katanas were gone. Panic struck him as his eyes darted all over the cave, searching for them. Not far from where he stood, he saw the sheathes, along with his elbow/knee pads and his mask - all of which had been cleaned off. No katanas.

Something gleamed in the darkness next to a small cliff that stood above the water. It was covered in loose vines and other tropical plants. Leo started towards it with hope.

Sure enough, both katanas lay nestled in the foliage. _How did they gotten there? _He wondered. _How did I get here? How long have I been here? And how on Earth did Pablo and Santiego find me?_

As he bent down to grab the swords, he tried to remember what had happened. He was able to recall the pit, and his struggle to get to his cave, but how he had winded up in the cenote was blank.

Limping back to the rest of his belongings, he sat down to put them back on. He closed his eyes to concentrate on remembering; he didn't like having a lapse in his memory.

He could see the darkness of the cave, but felt the morning sun. Then he felt himself fall, causing him to jumped out of his trance.

He shrugged, the katanas must have fallen into the vines when he toppled over. But that didn't explain how the two humans had found him. Then his eyes caught sight of the answer. At the back of the cave, past the pool of water, stood a white, wooden cross. They must have dropped by to pray (or something, he wasn't entirely savvy when it came to religion), and they would have found him there. The young ninja didn't particularly believe in the Christian God, but he couldn't help in acknowledging a bizarre feeling regarding his luck.

The odds that Leo had beaten gave him chills, and he shuddered at how close he had come to death.

With all of his gear on, the still ridiculously-tired-and-pained turtle took one more glance around the cave. His eyes stopped and opened wide in disbelief. They almost teared up at the sight.

Another avocado.

He lunged at it, ignoring the pain, and picked it up in both hands. For a while he just stared at the lumpy green object.

Soon enough he grabbed one of his katanas and began to peel away the tough skin.

In a not so flattering manner, he began to devour it. His tongue darted back and forth, trying to pick up every ounce of the much needed nutrients. The seed was scooped up in the process, and was sucked clean of any green mush that it bore.

Once there was nothing left but the skin and pit, the hungry teenager began nibbling on the skin. After eating away a quarter of the lumpy exterior, Leo decided it wasn't really edible and dropped the remnants on the ground.

Next to where the discarded parts fell, Leo noticed a large brown cloth. He picked it up and checked it out. It was something between an old, mangled blanket and tattered tarp. Something was endearing about it, and Leo decided to keep it. Gathering stuff like that could come in useful. The turtle promptly wrapped it around himself into a makeshift cloak.

He still felt a little light-headed, and his body ached. He tried to clear his throat, but again, it burned. Instantly he felt the overwhelming feeling of thirst envelop him. After making his way to the pool, he knelt down and lowered his beak into the cool, refreshing liquid. The water felt so good running down his throat. He gulped it back for a long while, and when his stomach couldn't hold any more, he kept his face resting in the pool. He felt a sense of peace that his soul had been missing for what felt like a lifetime.

As Leo stood, he coughed and tried to clear his throat again. Gradually the wheezing sounds turned into sounds that could be recognized as words. He felt bad for not thanking Santiego for his help, but figured his silence would be for the best in the long run.

He started for the light of the jungle; and for his cave that still awaited him.


	5. Letters

It was a long haul, but the fact that Leo was still alive was enough to push him onwards.

Once he got to his cave, he slumped down next to his bag of goods and rummaged through it. He pulled out a small framed picture of his family. He stared at it longingly and stroked the glass with his fingers. He couldn't shake the thought of how close he had come to never seeing them again. A tear slipped down his cheek, but was quickly wiped away.

Master Splinter had told him to look into using mail to communicate with the family, but Leo hadn't been actively searching for a post office, or any other means to get his messages to New York. He had been more concerned with spotting any militia members or problems throughout the villages, but he made a mental note to look for a way to send letters to his family. Once they received one, they could easily reply.

He promptly pulled out several folded pieces of paper and a pen, then, sitting, began to write individual letters to his father and brothers.

_Dear Sensei,_

_ I am sorry for not writing sooner, but I have been preoccupied with training and watching over the locals. It is beautiful down here, I wish you and my brothers could see some of the sights I have been lucky enough to encounter. Life here is harsh, but I feel myself growing stronger by the day. I think of you all constantly, and miss your company. The day cannot come quick enough for me to take the plane back to New York, though I know this training period is important and I am gracious for the opportunity. _

_ How is life back in the sewers? I imagine things have not changed all that much since I left. Donnie is handling Raph and Mikey I am sure; it cannot be too busy on the nightly patrols._

_ I hope this message reaches you and I hear from you soon father, _

_Love, your son,_

_ -Leonardo_

It felt good to write down his thoughts towards the old rat. It was almost as if he was sitting there listening. He gently pushed the paper aside and began writing anew.

_Dear Donnie,_

_ Hope things are going well back home. I am doing fine down here for the most part. There is so much interesting stuff that I simply cannot describe to you over mail. The number of exotic animals down here is incredible, hundreds of birds, beasts, bugs, and fish. One day you will have to take a trip down here to study some of these creatures, so many are unique and have such amazing qualities. There has got to be some undiscovered creatures that I have already come across in my short time here. The plants are also cool, they have so many different shapes and sizes, and smells. I cannot help but think of you when I find something truly bizarre that looks like it is no of this Earth._

_ I do not want to cause any alarm, but what exactly could I do to avoid getting an infection in a cut down here? I slipped and cut my leg. It is no big deal, but getting some disease right now would be less than ideal. _

_ Hope to hear back from you soon,_

_Love, _

_ -Leonardo_

The last thing Leo wanted to do was to make his family worry. He re-positioned himself and started writing again.

_Dear Mikey,_

_ Boy little brother, I sure could use some of your spunk down here. The forest is great and all, but it is missing the pizzazz that I am used to from living with you all of my life. That being said, I hope that you are not annoying the others too much while I am away - especially Raph, because I cannot be there to stop him from pummeling you. What are you up to now anyway? I hope you (and the others) are keeping up on your training, I want a challenge when next we spar. _

_Love ya bro,_

_ -Leonardo_

The turtle stopped writing and realised a smile had crept onto his face. For the first time in a long time, his body pain didn't really bother him. He was happy.

With a sigh of content, he grabbed one last piece of paper and began to write.

_Dear Raph,_

_ How are things? I hope you are doing good, I am sure you are. Having me gone for a while is probably pretty relieving for you, huh? Anyways, I hope that you are keeping yourself out of trouble, but entertained. Splinter has probably set up some temporary excursion laws, that I am sure you have already broken out of boredom._

_ Life down here is tough; I think you would actually enjoy it. Maybe you will be sent down here in the future. Whatever the case may be, I could sure use some of your charm when dealing with these militia men; they are ruthless._

_ I cannot wait to hear back from you, though I know you hate to write._

_Love, your older brother,_

_ -Leonardo_

He put the pen down and proceeded to fold up the letters and fit them into the envelopes he had brought with him. He would have to find a letter that someone had already written to get a proper return address. When a post office was found he'd make sure to do that as well.

Leo's gaze drifted down to his leg. There was a light throbbing coming from beneath the stitches, but it was nowhere near the pain it had caused him before. He was curious as to whether or not Santiego had given him some sort of pain-killers, because though it looked well attended, the wound was still red and swollen. He reached down to touch the stitches, but his breath hitched once his finger made contact. His head turned to his right, to examine his arm. Oddly, it didn't look nearly as agitated as his leg.

Soon his mind became blank. He nestled against the wall as his body relaxed; exhausted from the trip from one cave to another. He tried to fight the sleep, but eventually his eyelids became so heavy that he could no longer keep them open.

"Just a quick nap" he whispered under his breath, falling into the world of dreams.

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**Hope people are enjoying the story, it really is fun to write these things. I have so many ideas I want to explore in this fic. Criticism is welcome, if anyone has any ideas they would like to see, I am happy to try and incorporate them. I'm going to try to have another chapter up soon!**


	6. The post-office and the Play

**Sorry for the delay. School and all. Hopefully I will be able to update this story more frequently, things should be heating up soon..**

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It had been over a week since Leo had written the letters to his family. He made sure to allow himself enough time to recover from his injuries, which were already scabbed over and not nearly as painful.

The turtle had managed to make his village rounds, and found himself on the outskirts of Astilla. From what he could tell; there had been no violent activities in the small town or in the surrounding area during his absence. For this he was thankful, had he missed an attack on the people and allowed the citizens to suffer because of his failure, he would feel deep regret.

He jumped around the tree line, looking for one thing: a post office. Sending his letters to his family was now his number one priority.

He still felt sick, thinking back to how close he had come to leaving them forever. The thought constantly plagued his mind.

_Too close. Must do better._ BE _better. _

Momentarily pushing the thought aside, he noticed a small building, or shack, to be more accurate, that had an unknown purpose. No other structure in the village was the post office, and so, using the process of elimination, it became clear that that was where the villagers were dealing with their mail. To be certain, he watched the entrance, paying special attention to those who entered or left. After a short wait, a child and her mother came up to the entrance of the establishment. The little girl was skipping with joy, and humming aloud. Just before entering, the mother handed her daughter a simple white envelope.

_Bingo._

Once the duo exited the small post office, Leo snuck his way towards the door. It was already the time of day where families and individuals were sitting at their tables, eating their supper; so the streets were pretty well empty.

The young turtle ducked into the open doorway unseen. There was a small hallway that opened up to the main room. No one was at the counter, the town was close-knit enough so that such places could be left unguarded. Taking a pen, and a letter from the mail bin that sat near the counter, Leo quickly copied down the address to a point where mail replies would make it to Astilla, but the designated house would be non-existent, to give him a chance to grab his family's letters for him before someone mistook them as their own.

A hoarse cough came from outside, and talking continued to approach the building. Leo froze, but his ninja skills were too well tuned to allow him to panic in this situation. There was not a lot of hiding places to choose from, but the ninja was quick to jump behind the counter and squeeze into the cubby at its base.

Two men walked into the room.

"We better get moving if we want to get to the orphanage." said one.

"Esperar! This will only take a second!" the other answered. The sound of writing could be heard on top of the counter.

_The orphanage?_

Leo loved it when the villagers talked in English. It allowed him to relate and better understand them.

"Vamos!" the first one said. This time he was answered by a dramatic sigh. After some shuffling of papers, and some quick paced footsteps, Leo was once again alone.

_Alone._

He was beginning to hate that word. It was cold and miserable.

The turtle sighed half-heartedly and rolled out of his hiding place. He stood next to the bucket full of envelopes ready to be sent off. Taking one last loving glance at the papers in his hand, he let them drop to sit amongst the dozens of others that lay in the bin.

Sudden cheering sparked his attention. He rushed to the doorway and jumped for the tree line, where he could move about with ease. There were a couple torches that were lit to the right of the church. The sky was already dusking, but Leo wasn't overly worried to be left out in the dark now. He would just have to move slower and with more caution, after all, sooner or later he wanted to become semi-nocturnal and be able to scout the lands in the dark.

Eagerly he made his way closer to the warm light of the flames. He discovered that they were in fact illuminating the orphanage and the immediate surrounding area where a few chairs were set up. People were making their way into the light, quickly filling up the available seating, but more came and they just continued to stand. The area was alive with laughs and good-spirited chatter.

Leo looked on. His mouth was slightly open in a hopeful smile, his eyes gleamed with interest as the reflection of the fires danced in his irises. How he longed to simply walk into the crowd and join in on the conversations, but for obvious reasons he restrained.

From the doors of the orphanage came the priest. His smile rivaled that of Leo's in pure glee. He stood in the center of the open area just in front of the doors and cleared his throat. Upon hearing the sound, all talking seized and attention fell on him.

"Bienvenido! Welcome, my brothers and sisters, to the Astilla Orphanage's annual play. The children have been working very hard to prepare for you all, this years' big show! So without further ado, I would like to present _la historia de Quetzelcoatle_!" He ducked off to the side, gesturing to the front of the establishment.

From behind the building came none other than Pablo, dressed up in green feathers and make-shift Aztec armour. He spoke in loud words that Leo could not understand. He had hoped the event would be entirely in English, but nope.

More kids made their way on and off of the 'stage' throughout the play. The young turtle had no idea what the story was about.

_There's a snake. And he died? No he's still alive... I don't understand..._

So much was going on between the dozen children up front that, had the story been as basic as possible, it would be hard to follow. Nevertheless, it offered a sort of comfort to Leo. Seeing the community so happy and together warmed his ever lonesome heart.

Santiego watched from the side, still grinning, a look of overwhelming pride on his face. Those were _all_ his children up there. The one's that he had unofficially adopted and looked out for for a good part of his life, just as he did the church.

Leo smiled inwardly. It was like Splinter and his brothers. Though his father was in no way of blood relation to his bros, he and the turtles still acted like it. As a family.

_Stop thinking about them!_

He chastised too late. His nose crinkled from a sting and his eyes watered, threatening to spill over.

_Why does this keep happening? If any of them ever found out that I started to cry at nothing, they'd never let me live it down. I have to stop acting like a baby if I ever want to see them again. _

With the aid of his little self-pep talk, he was able to stifle the tears and focus again on the production that was still taking place.

Unfortunately, the fiesta didn't last much longer, as a loud raucous approached the town, gun-fire and all.


	7. An announcement

Silence spread across the small courtyard. Leo's heart began to pump at a quickened rate as he lunged himself towards the disturbance. He cursed himself under his breath for getting so caught up in the play and allowing evil-doers to enter the village.

Within a couple of jumps, he found himself near the top of a tall tree just beside the main road leading into the village. A convoy of six vehicles made its way into the town, which was now filled with screams of fear and terror. Santiego was trying to hustle all of the orphans into the orphanage for safety, just as all of the other villagers ran for cover and the safety of their own homes.

Still however, some remained in the open, either locating loved ones or simply out of curiosity.

Such a large force caught Leo off guard. At the rate the vehicles were entering the village, he only had time to assault the very last jeep, which was a little ways behind the others, about a quarter of a mile away.

Something nudged at the back of his mind. His vision adopted a tinge of red as he quickly plotted his moves. The image of a couple and their young daughter laying face down in the blood-soaked dirt. That was when he had heard the first gunshots of his journey, and the gun-downed family is what he had found, upon his arrival to help. It was a crude sight to behold, so early on in the young turtle's mission; and the memory was a terrible one that Leo made a point to push out of his mind, but the picture created a fire that drove him to get back at, and quite literally, _hurt,_ the offenders. It wasn't so much the looting that he fought against, but the taking of innocent lives.

Leo took out a throwing knife from his new cloak and promptly flung it at the driver. It caught the man in the neck, killing him almost instantly, causing his foot to leave the gas pedal and jerk the steering wheel to the left. Almost as quickly as the knife was thrown, the turtle jumped onto the front console of the vehicle, facing the rear. None of the other three passengers had any time to think, much less make a move. The front seat passenger got a blunt hit to the head from one of the now drawn swords, knocking him unconscious, and quite possibly killing him. The red tinge of Leo's vision intensified. The ninja proceeded to slice his blades in opposite directions, spilling the blood of the two back seat riders, who had barely made it to their feet.

The jeep came to a halt as the front bumper came into contact with a tree on the side of the road. Leo used the momentum of the vehicle to launch himself back into the tree line. Adrenaline and rage coursed through his veins as he made his way to get a better view of the village's new activity.

He had to get a firm grip on a tree branch to stop his mad dash to keep from plummeting into the open street below.

The convoy has stopped, and from the vehicles several soldier-esque men stepped out with guns pointing at the townsfolk. A signal was given, and from the second jeep emerged a large man. He proceeded to make his way to the front of the convoy for all to see. He smiled and held his arms out wide, and started addressing the people, much to Leo's dismay - in Spanish. But first, he very clearly introduced himself - "Coronel Santino".

Leo made note of the name, as this man was distinguishably more important than the others.

His voice was low and very hoarse, which intimidated those around him. A couple people emerged from their houses to listen in. The villagers cringed and adopted worried and scared faces as he spoke.

Once he had stopped speaking, there was a moment of silence where even the jungle noises seemed to halt.

Santiego stepped forward, which got a number of worried voices to call his name, begging him to just not. He held the cross that hung around his neck with both hands and held his head high, stopping right in front of Santino.

The on-looking turtle's heart fell when he saw the man who had saved his life move to face the leader of so many gun wielding men. His vision had just returned to normal, but his muscles were again tensing out of fear. There was no way that he could take on the amount of militia that littered the road below. Not without a great deal of casualties, and quite possibly the loss of his own life. He could only pray that nothing went too wrong with the Priest's actions.

Santiego's move earned him a couple crosshairs, and tensions began to rise. He looked into the Colonel's eyes, and with a straight face stated,

"These are free people of God, you have no ri-"

He was cut short by a punch to the face by the man he was addressing, who promptly let out a laugh. His men joined in on the 'joke'. Santiego held the bruising side of his face with one hand and steadied himself with the other, slowly rising to again face his attacker.

All at once the laughter stopped, and Santino adopted a serious, angry visage. Leo's face paled, this was not what he was hoping would happen, in fact this was _exactly _ what he had hoped wouldn't happen. The hefty man towered over Santiego's bent form, slowly walking towards him. The smaller man had no fear in his eyes, but courage. Santino grabbed at the others' garments around his neck and drew a machete with his other hand, holding it to the now very exposed throat.

Leo fought a battle within himself. He wanted nothing more than to cut down the treacherous beast, but he knew too well that the outcome would most likely cause more damage than not. He kicked himself for being so useless, but settled and continued watching the proceedings.

Santino put his face close to his victim's ear and whispered,

"I am God."

The words were barely audible, but a ninjas senses are heightened to pick up on such things. To Leo's relief, Santiego was thrust onto the dirt, at which time the machete was sheathed. Now Santino was addressing the crowd again, he yelled;

"and YOU are all MY people!"

Several gasps came from the villagers, but Santino just smiled at their misery. He continued,

"And as I am your master, I expect you all to give me what I deserve."

He turned to return to his jeep, but pivoted to point at various random people in the crowd,

"Double the production of everything!" he warned and then finally made his way into his seat. The engines roared and made their way out the way they had come.

The villagers just stood and looked on in shock and horror before hazily dispersing.

Leo turned his attention to the convoy as it made its way down the dark road. But then an icy hand clawed at his heart, and his breath got caught in his throat. His mouth gaped and his eyes grew in fear and disbelief.

The convoy stopped, the last vehicle just barely out of the village, and the first, about a quarter of a mile down.

The blur of killing that had happened just minutes before raced back to Leo's mind like a tidal wave of blood. He realised in only a millisecond his rash actions. His dirty deed done without the slightest bit of critical thought. His katana had been controlled by nothing but blind rage, and now something horrible was about to happen.

Angry, no, furious yelling came from down the way. The first vehicle started to turn around, and was promptly followed by the rest, like a snake making a U-turn to get another go at its prey.

Leo was frozen in pure horror.

"What have I done?"


	8. Aftermath

It was now pouring rain and a lone turtle sat motionless in it. The forest floor where he sat was completely black, save for the occasional lightning strike, which would be followed by a bone-rattling crash of thunder. He had meant to make it to his 'home' in one quick go, but his body and mind urged for a break a few miles shy of the destination.

Leo's mind was blank as he concentrated on the stream of rainwater that poured from the end of his beak, into the puddle that surrounded him. He barely made notice when lightning struck nearby and illuminated his surroundings enough to notice that he was sitting in not only water, but blood.

His blood.

But he felt no pain, only numbness.

Another flash of light, and a growl that shook the earth sent his mind spiraling through the events that had just taken place no more than a couple dozen minutes prior.

_Flashback_

_The convoy re-entered Astilla. The men with their guns jumped from the vehicles and began their assault. Bullets flew through the air, occasionally hitting a mark. Those unlucky enough to feel the bullet enter their bodies crumpled to the ground, crying out in pain. Some made no sound at all as they fell. It was utter chaos._

_Leo spent all of his throwing weapons in an attempt to quell the attack. A couple of soldiers were unlucky enough to stray too close to the tree line and feel the sting of razor-sharp metal. One instance called for Leo to reveal himself in order to remove a handful of men who were in the process of ravaging a slender brown-haired woman. The four humans saw him of course, but only one would ever be able to speak of it. Before the last of the men could be eliminated, he brought up his rifle and hip-fired in Leo's direction. One bullet grazed his left shoulder while the other embedded itself into his right trapezious (the muscle between the neck and shoulder). Leo carried on indifferent; the attempt did nothing to save the man's life._

_Leo moved fast, his cloak flew behind him, making him appear as an indistinguishable blur. The woman looked on as he promptly retreated to the tree line, before running for safety. She couldn't believe her eyes. It was the spirit that Santiego had been preaching about. _

_Once again looking out over the village, Leo noticed Santino and a group of his men make their way over to the orphanage. The Priest stood outside the entrance begging for the usurpers to leave his children alone. No such luck. Two men walked around the building, throwing gasoline in and around it. The orphans' cries could now be heard and only intensified once a couple matches had been tossed into the fuel. _

_Everything happened in slow motion, and for whatever reason, Leonardo's limbs simply could not move fast enough. By the time he was close enough to do anything, the building was engulfed in flame, and no sounds came from the inside. _

_Santiego screamed in horror but the militia leader brought a pistol up to his head and pulled the trigger. The Priest's body limply fell over to the side. _

_Leo was in shock. He couldn't believe his own eyes. He could do nothing more than breathe as he watched Santino and his goons return to their jeep. He barked out an order and the onslaught stopped, forcing the remaining gunners to make their way to their jeeps as well. Several dead bodies of their own were dragged along with them, but some remained to rot at the expense of the villagers. _

_As quickly as it had started, the killing was done._

_The convoy drove off, the living mourned over the dead and Leo turned away in disbelief, horror and shame. It would be a long walk to his cave, and it was starting to rain._

_End flashback_

The memory made him physically ill. He lurched forward and puked up what little food he had. The stomach acid mixed with the blood and water to create a wretched concoction.

_It's all my fault. I killed those men and left them there to be seen. That pig lashed out on those people because I lost control! _

He felt sick again and began a fit of dry-heaving to the side. Once he recovered, he couldn't help but wonder,

_How is it that Raph can always lose his coo,l but never has to face outcomes like this?_

He shook his head at the thought. It really wasn't fair. The _one _time he acts on raw impulse, the lives of so many innocents are spent.

He missed home. He wanted to go back to his family so bad right then. He wanted to hear their words of love and encouragement. But that wasn't going to happen. He was failing miserably at his mission, and he wasn't going to return until his task was done. He couldn't go back to his family as a failure.

With that, the injured terrapin rose to his feet. The world spun once his knees fully extended.

_Blood loss_, he thought. He could feel the sting of his wounds more and more now. He just wanted to get back to his cave before he bled out completely.

The remainder of the walk took longer than expected, but the Leo arrived in due time in one piece.

It was still pouring rain outside, and by now the loss of blood and cold-bloodedness was taking its toll on the turtle. His body shook violently and his breathing came and went in quick bursts of air. Leo stumbled over to his 'bed' and started rummaging through his bag that lay nearby. It was hard enough feeling around in the dark, but his shaking hands weren't helping any. Finally he found some fishing line and a needle. Even in his mental state it was clear that the wounds had to be stitched up. His cloak was thrown off in a clumsy manner and it landed with a wet thump on the ground.

He stood out in the rain again to wash away the blood that had started to seep since his arrival. He rubbed the damaged skin to make sure the areas were disinfected. Numbed by the cold the wounds weren't sore on their own, but his rubbing stung like a hot poker was being held against his flesh. The pain was harsh, but he knew an infection could mean the end of him. Taking a seat on a rock, he started analyzing the damage, unfortunately, it was too dark. He let out a sigh of frustration and stood.

His mind was starting to get groggy, so he rushed to get a fire going. It didn't take long for a descent flame to emerge from the kindling he had ready for use. After adding some more wood to the fire, he again took a seat.

Carefully threading the needle, he hesitantly tended to his shoulder. With every dip the needle made in his skin, a fresh gush of blood oozed out. Leo wasn't a huge fan of needles, let alone continuously poking one into his own skin. Repairing him and his brothers was normally Don's job; he was the medic.

Once finished, his left arm was completely covered in blood. Tiredness pressed on however, so, so did he.

It took some effort to effectively look at the other bullet wound, and his heart sank when he did finally catch a glimpse of the hole that was so close to his neck. Hesitantly, he closed it up with a couple, or so, stitches.

His fingers then immediately fumbled around for an exit wound, which he couldn't locate. The bullet was probably lodged against his shell just below where his skin connected to the carapace. Determined to find it, he felt again; this time concentrating hard on what he felt.

_Bingo!_

It was no exit wound, but there was a faint bump that had not previously been there. Somehow, he figured, the bullet was just beneath his skin, perfectly aligned with where it went in.

Getting it out would be just as important as the stitches themselves. Leo leaned forward in an attempt to stand, but instead fell to his hands and knees. Consequently, he crawled over to his cloak and found a tanto.

"This is gonna hurt" he warned himself. To get a good a view as possible, Leo twisted his neck as far right and back as he could. He made note of where the bullet was and proceeded to draw the knife up. When the blade pierced his skin, he couldn't help but let out a gasp and pull the knife away. The skin where he was cutting was already tender, and the slit caused an explosion of pain.

Taking a few panted breaths, he again brought the blade up and, gritting his teeth with great force, made and incision. Once the metal was past the skin, he began clumsily spooning around, trying to rid his body of the little intruding piece of metal. Every twist shot stings of unbearable pain through his shoulder and up his neck. Leo's face was contorted with infinite creases and was sleek with a layer of sweat. His breath came in short, pained gasps, and tears were slowly drifting out from under his scrunched up eyelids.

Finally, the bullet fell out of his skin and rolled onto the rocky floor with a distinct 'clink'.

Leo knew that if he stopped working at the wound, going back to stitch it only moments later, would be unbearable. With the needle and thread, he again craned his neck to the side and make five sloppy stitches.

Once it was closed off, the tool fell from his hand. The cave was getting dark and blurry, even with the fire. There was no sound and then there was complete darkness.

Leo slumped forward and fell in an awkward laying position on the floor, ready for some sleep.

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**Hope you guys are liking the story thus far, if anyone has some idea for what they want to see, I've got the story pretty well complete in my head, but I am open to ideas! Thanks peeps!**


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